The common and well-known receiver and hitch combination have been the primary means to connect to, and pull a variety of trailers and other towable units for many years. A receiver is generally attached just below the rear bumper and to the frame of a vehicle, and provides a sturdy mount for inserting and pinning a removable hitch and ball. A trailer will most generally have an elongated frame structure commonly referred to as a tongue, and the tongue will most generally have a coupler mechanism designed to fit securely over and pivot on a ball secured to the hitch. This procedure allows a trailer or other towable unit to be towed behind a vehicle during the course of travel.
While the most common configuration of a receiver and hitch combination is connected to the rear of a vehicle, it has long been known that a distinct and significant maneuvering advantage could be gained by applying the same procedure to the front-end of a vehicle. This technique can be very beneficial for inexperienced operators or in confined spaces as it enables an operator to see and react to movements of a trailer while traveling forward, as opposed to traveling in reverse and maneuvering the trailer with backup mirrors, or straining to view the trailer over one's shoulder.
Today vehicles such as ATV's and UTV's, are not only configured for recreation but are also well equipped for light duty utility work as well. The aforementioned receiver and hitch combination on these vehicles are frequently used to move small and medium size trailers around home properties, ranches, job sites, and recreation sites and the like. To gain the same maneuvering advantage, from a receiver and hitch combination on the front end of a vehicle, manufacturers began designing receivers and mounting brackets that could be installed around the vehicles brush guard and winch. Operators of these vehicles could then use a traditional hitch and ball with the receiver; however, a problem exist where the front of such vehicles have limited space for installing accessories, and since a front mount hitch is not the primary means for maneuvering a trailer, many operators will forgo this added benefit the front mount hitch has to offer.
The present invention addresses this dilemma by providing a readily available hitch and ball that does not require the aid of a receiver, or similar hitch receptacle. Instead, the hitch combines a vehicles brush guard and winch as a means to secure the hitch to the front end of a vehicle.
There have been many useful inventions designed for use with a receiver and many useful inventions designed for use with a hitch and ball, however; the new and useful hitch, of the disclosed invention, is different from prior art in that a hitch is designed for use without a common receiver.